  
6
Half
steps and whole steps
In most Western music, the smallest distance (interval) between
two pitches is a half step.
This diagram shows part of a piano keyboard. Two keys with consecutive
numbers are a half step apart. For example, key 2 and key 3 are
a half step apart Roll your mouse over the keyboard to see a half
step.

Two half steps combined make
a whole step. Looking at
the piano keyboard, you will notice a black key between G and
A. The
distance from G (8) up to the black key (9) is a half step. From
the black key (9) to A (10) is another half step. The
combined distance (two half steps) is a whole step (from G
to A). Roll your mouse over the keyboard to see a whole step.

Notice the various half and
whole steps on the keyboards in the following diagrams:


It is important to observe that
there are no black keys between E and F and between B and C. These
are called natural half steps
and must be memorized.

  
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